Voronin was good for Hertha Berlin last season, was he not? I though he was anyway, was he? Was he not?
[quote=“ChocolateMice”]Rafa considered Owen signing…
Reds boss opted not to sign striker as he wouldn’t get in team:guns:
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11669_5426829,00.html[/QUOTE]
You have to hand it to Rafa. It’s rare you see a more myopic ranter than Fergie but Rafa does it every time. Since the season ended he’s castigated Barry(who Liverpool dicked around for two whole months last year) for not signing and demanded more loyalty from Alonso who he spent last year trying to offload to anyone who had some cash. A more obvious ballhop in tfk terms you won’t see for a long while. Meanwhile he himself has spent 17m on yet another new fullback…
Hope you Liverpool fans remember it was his downright negativity in terms of tactics against shite teams that had ye draw your way out of contention last year.
Alonso has apparently come out and said he wants to leave… This would be a massive massive blow to league aspirations. He is bar far the most important player in the squad…
Do you have a source on this CM - not that I really need one because it looks like a foregone confusion once Rafa said that Alonso should realise that he owes the club a lot.
All they can do now is try and get as much money as possible for him and get a decent replacement (not Lee fucking Cattermole). Apparently being linked to Cambiasso in the press. I think he is decent enough but not as good as Alonso.
Xabi would be a massive, massive loss.
think I read in some papers there on Monday that Alonso was almost certain to leave and he wasnt going to join the squad in Thailand for the friendlies out there. Think ALonso has being pestering Benitez to leave without formally requesting a transfer.
They are playing their first pre season friendly tonight against St Gallen - seem to always head out to Switzerland for a training camp.
This from the Daily Mail:
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez is lining up Roma midfielder Alberto Aquilani as a possible replacement for Xabi Alonso, who is reportedly keen on a move to Real Madrid.
[quote=“farmerinthecity”]This from the Daily Mail:
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez is lining up Roma midfielder Alberto Aquilani as a possible replacement for Xabi Alonso, who is reportedly keen on a move to Real Madrid.[/QUOTE]
Heard it first on ‘off the ball’ last night, then caught a line on lfconline.com which is usually a reliable source.
A real shame if it happens…
Fair play to Alonso. Benitez hawked him around to anyone who would listen last year as a makeweight to get a far inferior player(Barry) in. Alonso came back with a European winners medal and despite his manager wanting him out played out of his skin becoming imo the best midfielder in the EPL last season.
He has proved his point and is now telling Benitez to go fuck himself. He wants out and is likely to get his wish as Liverpool need the money. He will be an excellent signing for Real and is a far far superior player to the likes of Gago. For Liverpool Barry is gone and no matter who they get in they will struggle to replicate Alonso’s form from last season. Not too many established European players keen on going to the EPL this summer with the new tax laws so Benitez might end up going for a Cattermole or some other donkey.
On the other hand, a Basque playing for the Kings team.:rolleyes:
Principles eh?
[quote=“KIB man”]Fair play to Alonso. Benitez hawked him around to anyone who would listen last year as a makeweight to get a far inferior player(Barry) in. Alonso came back with a European winners medal and despite his manager wanting him out played out of his skin becoming imo the best midfielder in the EPL last season.
He has proved his point and is now telling Benitez to go fuck himself. He wants out and is likely to get his wish as Liverpool need the money. He will be an excellent signing for Real and is a far far superior player to the likes of Gago. For Liverpool Barry is gone and no matter who they get in they will struggle to replicate Alonso’s form from last season. Not too many established European players keen on going to the EPL this summer with the new tax laws so Benitez might end up going for a Cattermole or some other donkey.
On the other hand, a Basque playing for the Kings team.:rolleyes:
Principles eh?[/QUOTE]
I think it is pretty clear that Liverpool don’t want to let him go, whatever offer they get, but once he says he wants to leave then there is fuck all they can do.
[quote=“KIB man”]Fair play to Alonso. Benitez hawked him around to anyone who would listen last year as a makeweight to get a far inferior player(Barry) in. Alonso came back with a European winners medal and despite his manager wanting him out played out of his skin becoming imo the best midfielder in the EPL last season.
He has proved his point and is now telling Benitez to go fuck himself. He wants out and is likely to get his wish as Liverpool need the money. He will be an excellent signing for Real and is a far far superior player to the likes of Gago. For Liverpool Barry is gone and no matter who they get in they will struggle to replicate Alonso’s form from last season. Not too many established European players keen on going to the EPL this summer with the new tax laws so Benitez might end up going for a Cattermole or some other donkey.
On the other hand, a Basque playing for the Kings team.:rolleyes:
Principles eh?[/QUOTE]
Agree with most of that… Benitez is one stubborn, and some times arrogant, fuck, and his treatment / attitude towards players and rival managers at times is down right disrespectful (Ferguson aside 
)…
Supposedly this all started because Benitez got the hump because Alonso chose to be there for the birth of his child over playing for the club, which is totally fair enough imo, but Benny got the hump of course and the rest is now being played out…
Who the fuck can you replace him with? Nearly every attack starts through him and unlike Gerrard he nearly always delivers in the big games.
[quote=“ChocolateMice”]Agree with most of that… Benitez is one stubborn, and some times arrogant, fuck, and his treatment / attitude towards players and rival managers at times is down right disrespectful (Ferguson aside :rolleyes: )…
Supposedly this all started because Benitez got the hump because Alonso chose to be there for the birth of his child over playing for the club, which is totally fair enough imo, but Benny got the hump of course and the rest is now being played out…
Who the fuck can you replace him with? Nearly every attack starts through him and unlike Gerrard he nearly always delivers in the big games.[/QUOTE]
Ya Benitez was definitely pissed off about that. It was before a big Champions League game a couple of years back. In fairness, Alonso’s form had dropped off a bit after an excellent debut season but he came back to true form last season.
Alonso suits Liverpool perfectly. Thats why I think he is irreplacable for them. No Xabi - no Xance neXt year…
[quote=“ChocolateMice”]Agree with most of that… Benitez is one stubborn, and some times arrogant, fuck, and his treatment / attitude towards players and rival managers at times is down right disrespectful (Ferguson aside :rolleyes: )…
Supposedly this all started because Benitez got the hump because Alonso chose to be there for the birth of his child over playing for the club, which is totally fair enough imo, but Benny got the hump of course and the rest is now being played out…
Who the fuck can you replace him with? Nearly every attack starts through him and unlike Gerrard he nearly always delivers in the big games.[/QUOTE]
I am not sure what managers apart from Ferguson Rafa has had a go at. 
Anyway - I think Rafa was entitled to be pissed off with Alonso for deciding to miss the game but the situation was manageable. As in, take him aside afterwards and talk it out. It is a needless thing to kick a player out for, especially one of Alonso’s undoubted quality.
Instead he decided to sell him and replace him with a much inferior player. That simply didn’t make any sense. Sure Alonso didn’t have a few great seasons there but there was no way that buying Gareth Barry was ever a better option. In that respect Rafa did appear to put his pigheadedness ahead of what was right for the team.
[quote=“farmerinthecity”]I am not sure what managers apart from Ferguson Rafa has had a go at.
Anyway - I think Rafa was entitled to be pissed off with Alonso for deciding to miss the game but the situation was manageable. As in, take him aside afterwards and talk it out. It is a needless thing to kick a player out for, especially one of Alonso’s undoubted quality.
Instead he decided to sell him and replace him with a much inferior player. That simply didn’t make any sense. Sure Alonso didn’t have a few great seasons there but there was no way that buying Gareth Barry was ever a better option. In that respect Rafa did appear to put his pigheadedness ahead of what was right for the team.[/QUOTE]
Alonso will be a very difficult player to replace. Not many like him around in world football at the moment. Barry is a total inferior player to him and would not have done last season or the upcoming one. Voronin is shit, end of story. Badly need a better option in the striker department besides the likes of Ngog, Babel and even beyond that the reserve team.
The names being thrown around like Aquilani and Cambiasso are very different players to Alonso. Think Liverpool will/would be in big trouble without him. A midfield of Cambiasso and Mascherano would be a decent shield but not much attacking threat and Liverpool really need to own the ball if they’re to improve at cashing in on their superiority against lower EPL opposition.
Just off the top of my head… Mourinho, Allardyce, Martin O’Neil, Ferguson And Everton in general calling them a small club and attacking their tactics…
Just seems to spit the dummy when things dont go his way…
[quote=“ChocolateMice”]Just off the top of my head… Mourinho, Allardyce, Martin O’Neil, Ferguson And Everton in general calling them a small club and attacking their tactics…
Just seems to spit the dummy when things dont go his way…[/QUOTE]
Martin O Neill apart what is the problem with that statement, Mourinho, Allardyce, Ferguscum all cunts of the highest order.
And then Everton, indeed a small club, acting as both a feeder club and retirement home for Man Utd. Need i say more
[quote=“Fr Murphys Ghost”]Martin O Neill apart what is the problem with that statement, Mourinho, Allardyce, Ferguscum all cunts of the highest order.
And then Everton, indeed a small club, acting as both a feeder club and retirement home for Man Utd. Need i say more[/QUOTE]
Need he say more? Liverpool were famous for their silence… In recent years they have been degrading them selves at both board room and managerial level… Let the football do the talking and let the other fooks worry about themselves.
[quote=“ChocolateMice”]Just off the top of my head… Mourinho, Allardyce, Martin O’Neil, Ferguson And Everton in general calling them a small club and attacking their tactics…
Just seems to spit the dummy when things dont go his way…[/QUOTE]
Mourinho - did he ever actually have a pop at him? If he did then it would be justified given Mourinho’s constant soundbites about Liverpool.
Allardyce - you referring to that nothing event against Blackburn last season where Ferguson and Allardyce decided to team up against him and complain?
O’Neill - what did he say about him? Probably was sneaky over the whole Barry thing but did he ever criticise him directly.
Ferguson - apart from Ferguson.
The ‘Everton are a small club’ comment was stupid. No need for it.
[quote=“farmerinthecity”]Mourinho - did he ever actually have a pop at him? If he did then it would be justified given Mourinho’s constant soundbites about Liverpool.
Allardyce - you referring to that nothing event against Blackburn last season where Ferguson and Allardyce decided to team up against him and complain?
O’Neill - what did he say about him? Probably was sneaky over the whole Barry thing but did he ever criticise him directly.
Ferguson - apart from Ferguson.
The ‘Everton are a small club’ comment was stupid. No need for it.[/QUOTE]
The allardyce affair goes back a bit futher when he spat the dummy Everton style after Bolton got a result against him with “Long ball tactics”
Like I said already, just keep it quite and worry about football…